Having trouble choosing a New Year’s resolution that will last beyond February? Your Sun sign can offer guidance on what to improve. Lifescript horoscope expert Kelli Fox has clues to picking promises that will actually stick…

January 1 stirs an urge within us to make this a better, happier, more fulfilling year than the last one. It’s the promise of a fresh start, a blank slate.

The big questions are: What should your New Year’s resolutions be – and how can you make them stick this time?

If you’re uncertain about your New Year’s resolutions or tired of making those that just don’t pan out, look to your Sun sign for guidance. It can steer you in the right direction.

Read on to find out all about your own, best New Year’s resolutions.

New Year’s Resolution for Aries (March 21 – April 19)For energetic Aries, the best New Year’s resolutions are those that focus on channeling your high energy toward a worthy goal. With your bold, competitive, me-first personality, you often get stuck in a loop of chasing after your own goals without giving much thought to everyone else around you. Resolving to do more volunteer work may be working against type, yet you love a challenge, and your leadership skills can be a real asset.

If volunteering isn’t appealing, achieve a similar goal on a smaller, personal scale by developing sympathy and compassion for others. Resolve to do one random act of kindness each day. This could be anything – holding the door for someone, telling a co-worker they’re doing a great job, or even paying for a stranger’s drink at the coffee shop.

New Year’s Resolution for Taurus (April 20 – May 20) For self-indulgent Taurus, your New Year’s resolution should focus on curbing your hedonistic habits, whether that’s spending too much money on frivolous things, eating too many sweets or lounging when you should be working.

You have a secret weapon to use to gain control: your excellent willpower and endurance. The key is to avoid cracking down on yourself. For example, if you make a serious promise to indulge in sweets only once a week or set aside “play money” that fits within your budget, you’ll find it easier to stick to your new rule. See? Easy!

New Year’s Resolution for Gemini (May 21 – June 20) As a natural storyteller and communicator, you’re unusually adept at verbalizing your thoughts and feelings. But have you ever made it a point to close your mouth and open your ears?

For talkative, expressive Gemini, a great New Year’s resolution is to become a better listener. You’re already quite observant, but when you consciously turn off the internal chatter, you’ll be amazed at what you learn about people and at your emotional response to their stories, problems, hopes and fears. As you learn more about someone’s thoughts and feelings, you’ll develop a more holistic view of them.

New Year’s Resolution for Cancer (June 21 – July 22) This year, Cancer, resolve to lighten up – not by taking everything, even serious matters, as a joke, but by letting go of past emotional burdens.

If you’re like most Crabs, your deeply feeling nature and close connection to loved ones means you carry old hurts and responsibilities that you may not even be aware of. It’s time to relieve yourself of burdens with no bearing on your life. This might include releasing guilt or regrets about choices you’ve made, forgiving someone who has hurt you, or giving up a misplaced sense of responsibility toward others.

Start by attending therapy sessions with a counselor, reading self-help books about codependency or the power of forgiveness, or beginning a yoga or meditation practice. These will help you gradually let go of the past, so you can live more freely in the here and now.

New Year’s Resolution for Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22) As a stylish, dramatic Leo, people just can’t help but take notice of your sunny, passionate nature. But this year, make a New Year’s resolution to step aside and let others shine.

This might mean doing small kind acts, such as letting your employer know when a co-worker has done a great job – or making friends feel extra special by telling them what you love about them and why.

You might also resolve to do something bigger, such as channeling your passion toward a goal without expectation of recognition or compensation. For example, you could join a volunteer organization, become a mentor to a child, or sponsor a struggling artist or musician.

Donating time and effort to others will make you feel great by boosting your sense of well-being and confidence because you’re making a positive impact on the world.

New Year’s Resolution for Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22) Your life is all about self-control and striving for perfection – you set high standards and do everything you can to meet them. But it’s a tall order to live up to day in and out! You deserve some fun and relaxation, just as much as everyone else.

You’re efficient and hardworking, so resolve to let your hair down this year, Virgo. Work a little less and go out with friends more. Let go of some rules and systems and usher some friendly chaos into your life.

Also practice taking a deep breath, releasing tension in your shoulders, and smiling as you tell yourself, “All is well.” Developing greater self-acceptance will create a deep sense of well-being that will spread to everyone around you.

New Year’s Resolution for Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) Libras are kind, social people who strive for harmony in work and relationships, but those traits can lead to imbalance. For example, you might find yourself going out on the town too often with friends, and not spending enough time on your own. Or you might spend too much money on indulgences or defer to others too often, even when it would be better to take a stand.

For your New Year’s resolution, focus on balance within yourself. For example, if you want to better control your eating habits or finances, include occasional indulgences, so your resolution is more likely to stick. If balance is needed in relationships, find small ways to be assertive, such as declaring which movie you want to see; don’t wait for others to choose for you. Small changes become habits over time, and before you know it, you’ll be living a more balanced life.

New Year’s Resolution for Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) For Scorpio, life is about intensity, passion and control, whether toward yourself, work or relationships. You’re constantly balancing between control and chaos, and equally drawn toward both.

Make it your New Year’s resolution to give up some of that illusory control. For some Scorpios, that might mean delving into a spiritual practice that emphasizes yielding to and appreciating the unknown power of the Universe. For others, that might mean building faith about your future. Still, others might work on connecting deeply in intimate relationships without becoming possessive, obsessive or controlling.

At your best, you’re a deeply nurturing soul with great capacity to help others. So you might make a resolution to channel your undeniable personal power toward a selfless goal. You’ll gain a valuable sense of fulfilment from exercising generosity.

New Year’s Resolution for Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21) An enthusiastic student of the world, many Sagittarians live up to the old saying: a jack of all trades, master of none. So this year resolve to pursue your passion in a more focused way than before. No more stopping and starting, no more getting side-tracked – you have to keep an end goal in mind.

The goal should be based on your passion. Make a resolution to launch or complete formal training with a goal of graduating from student to master. You’re a natural teacher, after all; people look to you for leadership and inspiration.

This year, make your dream a reality, whether that means working toward becoming certified as a teacher, personal trainer or yoga instructor; pursuing a higher-education degree; or even becoming a professor in a subject you find fascinating. You’ll be truly fulfilled when helping others broaden their minds.

New Year’s Resolution for Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19) For hardworking, dedicated Capricorns, your New Year’s resolution should be to make more time to relax. Commit to building regular retreat days into your schedule – days when you do nothing more than wile away the afternoon with a novel or at a day spa (and leave your smartphone at home, so multi-tasking is not an option).

The same goes for spending less time working and more time with loved ones: Schedule regular family nights or dates with your sweetie, and consider those as sacred.

But here’s the kicker – make a second resolution: Don’t turn relaxation and fun into drudgery. If you’re too serious and single-minded about loosening up, it could become just another task to cross off your checklist. The idea is to incorporate leisure time into your life to create balance, not to add more stress. Focus on learning to welcome downtime, levity and outright silliness – they’re important elements of a well-rounded life.

New Year’s Resolution for Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18) For Aquarius, it’s easy to make a New Year’s resolution to improve the world. Progressive or humanitarian efforts are in your nature, and you’re geared toward volunteering, charity work and activism.

But this year, make a resolution that hits closer to home: Resolve to connect more naturally, emotionally and intuitively with loved ones. That’s because you can be emotionally aloof, even from the people with whom you’re most intimate. In your heart and mind, you know you’re committed to them, and you might think it’s unnecessary to reaffirm your connection repeatedly. Or you might feel uncomfortable with mushy or passionate displays.

This year, welcome the messy, emotional moments that make relationships so funny, sweet and satisfying. Tell your honey or kids how much you love them – every day. Take your sweetheart out for a romantic date every week or surprise them with sentimental gifts that show your affection. You’ll be surprised at how satisfying it feels.

New Year’s Resolution for Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20) For selfless, nurturing Pisces, make a New Year’s resolution to be kinder and gentler. Not to others – you have that down to an art. No, this year, resolve to be kinder toward yourself, and to treat yourself with the same gentle respect that you afford others.

For example, you might work on setting firmer boundaries in your relationships, so others can’t take advantage of your kindness so easily. Or, you might focus on pursuing a long-held goal, which you tabled to care for loved ones. It’s time to get a little selfish, Pisces.

This will probably feel foreign and distinctly uncomfortable at first, but work through these feelings. Sooner or later, you’ll be able to make occasional selfishness – putting yourself first, in whatever way applies – a habit.

Kelli Fox is a certified astrologer, co-founder of The Astrologer Inc. (www.theastrologer.com) and Lifescript horoscope expert. Kelli is a member the American Federation of Astrologers, National Council for Geocosmic Research and International Society for Astrological Research. In 1995, Kelli founded Astrology.com, which became the largest astrology website. She currently publishes daily horoscopes and planetary updates, annual forecasts and compatibility reports for The Astrologer and her iPhone app, "Today's Horoscope."